When we think of fashion, items like clothes and footwear often come to mind. However, fashion isn’t limited to what we wear. Today, spectacles have become an essential part of style and a key fashion statement, embraced by nearly everyone.
In today’s world, long working hours and rising stress levels contribute to various health issues, including vision problems. In India alone, around 550 million people require vision correction, yet only 170 million have access to it.
To provide better eyewear for every walk of life while keeping in view the quality and trend styles, Lenskart was founded. Peyush Bansal started the company in 2010 with a mission to deliver better eyewear and change the way people see through their eyes.
Peyush Bansal is regarded to be one of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in India. He started his journey from being a studious student to building a company at a global level. Peyush Bansal sparks inspiration for many of us.
He gained much popularity after becoming a judge on one of the most famous reality shows, Shark Tank India.
Let’s explore the roller-coaster journey of Peyush Bansal, from becoming an entrepreneur to building Lenskart from scratch. In this StartupTalky story, we’ll dive into the success story of Peyush Bansal, his early life, childhood, personal life, educational background, and the path he took to success, along with any controversies and more.
Born on 26th April 1986 in Delhi, Peyush Bansal lived with his parents and two siblings. His father’s name is Bal Kishan Bansal, and his mother’s name is Kiran Bansal. He has one elder brother and a younger sister.
Peyush Bansal did his schooling at Don Bosco School (Greater Kailash-II, New Delhi). After finishing high school, he prepared for IIT but didn’t get through. So, he went to Canada to study electrical engineering at McGill University.
Just like any person with dreams and goals, Peyush Bansal always wanted to be a businessman. In India, he studied at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, he holds a diploma in entrepreneurship.
Peyush has been lucky as his parents always supported him in his journey of becoming an entrepreneur. In 2011, he got married to Nidhi Mittal and has a son.
Peyush Bansal – Career
After graduating in electrical engineering, Peyush Bansal bagged his first job at the tech giant- Microsoft, USA. He worked as a Program Manager for nearly one year but left the job in 2008 and came back to India.
Peyush was never interested in engineering, which is why he quit his job at Microsoft. After returning to India, he started to look for ideas to start his own company.
Despite not coming from a business background, Bansal came up with his first startup in 2007 called SearchMycampus while pursuing a degree in entrepreneurship from IIM, Bangalore.
SearchMycampus was an online portal to help students search for various issues related to jobs, housing, coaching, internships, transportation, books, etc. After the fair success of his first company, Bansal launched a couple of startups that ran quite well.
Along with his friends, Amit Chaudhary and Sumeet Kapahi he founded Lenskart in 2010. The idea came when Peyush came across the statistics of blind people in India, and only a small number of people were wearing spectacles. Thus, he aimed to provide eyeglasses to a large number of people to improve their vision.
Lenskart founders – Amit Chaudhary, Peyush Bansal, and Sumeet Kapahi
Peyush Bansal serves as the Chief Executive & People Officer at Lenskart. The company is headquartered in Faridabad, Delhi NCR. Initially, Lenskart dealt with selling only contact lenses, but it slowly witnessed success and expanded its operations.
Today, Lenskart has over 1100 stores across different cities in India, offering more than 5000 eyewear styles. The online eyewear retailer entered the unicorn club in 2019.
Eyewear company Lenskart is planning to skip the confidential DRHP filing for its upcoming IPO in India, reports MoneyControl. Instead, it will use the normal route, which makes all IPO details public once filed with SEBI. Lenskart also changed its name to Lenskart Solutions Limited after shareholder approval.
Currently, the valuation of Lenskart is $5.6 billion.
Peyush Bansal is a man of a wise and brilliant mind. He has made investments in various startups. His latest investment is in Lenskart. It was a funding round held in July 2024, and as a lead investor, he invested INR 70.70 crore in the company.
Some of the companies Peyush Bansal has invested in are:
Peyush Bansal is one of the most-admired sharks on the show. He almost turned down the offer. Initially, he wanted to reject it, but his wife, Nidhi, encouraged him to consider it. Even during his first shoot, he hadn’t signed the contract. However, the energy of the startup founders and the show itself inspired him, and from that moment, he was fully committed to the show.
He invested INR 22.204 crore in the first season of Shark Tank India, INR 16.16 crore in the second season, and INR 5.77 crore in the third season of the show. Bansal is known for his compassion and strong support for social causes. On the show, he has invested mostly in food and beverage D2C brands.
Shark Tank India Season -4 Controversy
In a recent episode of Shark Tank India in February 2025, Mohit, the founder of Born Good, a detergent and liquid cleaning startup, pitched his business to the panel of investors. He requested Rs 70 lakh for 1% equity, valuing his company at Rs 70 crore. Mohit aimed to raise Rs 12 crore but left without a deal after facing tough questions from investor Aman Gupta, who criticized his execution skills and compared him unfavorably to Kopara’s founder, Simran. Peyush Bansal defended Mohit, saying Aman crossed the line by making direct comparisons and that Mohit deserved a fair chance to explain his business. He added that emotions ran high due to competing investments, which influenced Aman’s harsh tone. Meanwhile, Aman stood by his tough stance, citing concerns about founder-market fit.
In one of the episodes of the Indian reality show, ‘Shark Tank India’, Peyush Bansal was caught in a controversy. He passed down some comments related to CA, which later offended the CA community. The aftermath of comments led to the trend of #SayNoToLenskart on social media platforms, especially among CAs.
Following the events, Peyush Bansal took to social media, where he shared a post asking for an apology.
Peyush Bansal – Awards & Achievements
Some of his achievements are as follows:
Awarded Innovator of the Year Award at NDTV Indian of The Year Awards 2023-24
He received the ‘India TV Yuva Awards in 2015
Red Herring Top 100 Asia Award 2013
Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2012
British Honors Award at McGill University
Best 40 under 40 Entrepreneurs 2019 Fortune India
Peyush Bansal – Unknown Facts
He loves watching suspense and thriller shows/web series.
As a budding entrepreneur, one should focus on value creation more than anything else.
FAQs
What is Lenskart owner name?
Peyush Bansal along with Amit Chaudhary and Sumeet Kapahi are Lenskart owners.
Who is Lenskart CEO?
Peyush Bansal is the co-founder and CEO of Lenskart.
What is Peyush Bansal age?
Peyush Bansal is 39 years old, he was born in 1985.
Who is Peyush Bansal father or who are Peyush Bansal parents?
Peyush Bansal’s father’s name is Bal Kishan Bansal, and his mother’s name is Kiran Bansal.
What is the net worth of Peyush Bansal?
The net worth of Peyush Bansal is approximately INR 600 crore as of 2024.
Who is Peyush Bansal wife?
Nidhi Bansal is the wife of Peyush Bansal. They got married in 2011.
What is Peyush Bansal education?
Bansal has an Electrical Engineering degree from McGill University in Canada.
How Peyush Bansal started Lenskart?
Peyush Bansal started Lenskart in 2010 to make quality eyewear affordable and accessible. He began by selling eyeglasses online, focusing on solving vision problems in India.
What did Peyush Bansal study?
Peyush Bansal tried for IIT but could not get into any college, he completed his Bachelor of Engineering from McGill University, Canada, and did the Management Programme for Entrepreneurs and Family Businesses (MPEFB) at IIM Bangalore.
How much stake does Peyush Bansal have in Lenskart?
Peyush Bansal has a 4.7% stake in Lenskart as of September 2024.
Shark Tank India created quite a stir with its four seasons in the country and amongst its people. People love the angst, new ideas of young entrepreneurs, and all the great advice provided by the ‘Sharks’.
The first season premiered on Sony LIV and Sony Entertainment Television from 20 December 2021 to 4 February 2022. The show was produced by Studio NEXT Sony Pictures Television. Apart from the splendid business models and innovative ideas, the main attraction of the show was the ‘Sharks’. With great popularity and success, it has had 4 successful seasons. After a long wait, Shark Tank India Season 5 has been confirmed to return in Sony LIV’s 2025 schedule, bringing investors and start-up founders together once more.
The ‘Sharks’ here are some of the country’s most influential and prominent entrepreneurs and are the ones who have taken charge of investing in the businesses. If the investors are impressed by the products and services, they naturally become a part of their business by investing in them. The show itself is possible because of the investors; they are the one who provides the funds that will take the business of the young entrepreneurs forward.
Now, don’t you want to know about the richest shark on Shark Tank India and the sharks providing a ladder to reach the top to all the young entrepreneurs who dreamt of conquering the business world with their exceptional ideas? Well, here we will talk about the ‘Sharks’, their net worth, and the ones who have supported the exceptional business models of young entrepreneurs on the show. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.
Ritesh Agarwal is the founder and CEO of OYO Rooms. He was the newly added Shark for season 3 of Shark Tank India. He dropped out of college after a few days to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. His net worth is Rs 14,400 crore as per Hurun Rich List 2024, making him one of the richest sharks in Shark Tank India Season 4.
OYO Rooms, a worldwide hospitality marketplace established in 2012, assists travellers in locating inexpensive accommodations all around the world. This business advertises its leased and franchised hotels on its website so that customers may choose the rooms and living areas they want at a price they can afford.
Ronnie Screwvala is an Indian entrepreneur and Chairperson and Co-Founder of upGrad, an online higher education platform that provides various courses in partnership with universities and industry experts. The valuation of upGrad is $2.25 billion. Ronnie Screwvala is a prominent figure in the Indian business and entertainment industry and has made significant contributions in the fields of media, entertainment, and education. He was a new addition to Shark Tank India’s third season.
He co-founded UTV Software Communications (now part of The Walt Disney Company) in 1990. UTV became one of India’s leading media and entertainment conglomerates. He then founded RSVP Movies in 2017. The company is a private Indian film production and distribution company. RSVP stands for Ronnie ScrewVala Production. Screwvala is also the founder of Unilazer Ventures and Swades Foundation. He took a step back from filmmaking after selling his company in 2012. The net worth of Ronnie Screwvala is $1.55 billion.
Amit Jain is the co-founder and CEO of CarDekho. He replaced Ashneer Grover in the second season of Shark Tank India. Mr. Jain, an IIT graduate, is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in India. The net worth of the shark Amit Jain is $355 million (approx).
Cardekho.com – a car buying and selling platform, was launched in 2008. It went through many ups and downs until a Series-A funding of $15 Million was secured in 2013. Now Cardekho is a unicorn with a valuation of over $1.2 billion. Amit Jain reportedly charges INR 7 lakh per episode.
Deepinder Goyal
Name
Deepinder Goyal
Company
Zomato
Net Worth
$1.8 billion (Rs 15,274 crore)
Deepinder Goyal – Shark Tank India Judges
Deepinder Goyal is the co-founder and CEO of Zomato. He was the newly added Shark for season 3 of Shark Tank India. Mr. Goyal has graduated from IIT Delhi. His company, Zomato, is a publicly listed company on the National Stock Exchange of India. Zomato’s subsidiaries are Blinkit and Urbanspoon. As of December 2024, Zomato has a Market Cap of $32.71 billion. The current net worth of Deepinder Goyal stands at $1.8 billion. He was one of the richest sharks in Shark Tank India season 3.
One of the most extensive and user-friendly apps for locating nearby eateries where you can eat or place an online food order is Zomato. In order to gather factual information on restaurants, it also provides menus, reviews, and ratings. The company became a unicorn in February 2018.
Deepinder Goyal is not part of Shark Tank India season 4. While rumours suggested his exit was due to Swiggy’s sponsorship, the show’s makers clarified that his absence was due to scheduling conflicts, and they would be happy to have him on future seasons.
Ashneer Grover was the managing director and founder of BharatPe, an Indian fintech company that was founded in 2018. This UPI-based app became a Unicorn in the year 2021 and currently, the value of the company is around $2.9 billion. The net worth of Ashneer Grover is $108 million.
BharatPe is an acquaintance of small-scale businesses and provides them with their payment service. Grover’s BharatPe gives intense competition to other online payment apps like Mobikwik, Paytm, and PhonePe. Ashneer Grover got INR 10 lakh per episode. However, he discontinued as a shark after season one.
Apart from BharatPe, he has also invested in companies like OTO Capital, The Whole Truth, IndiaGold, and Front Row. He has invested in various startups on the show, likeTagZ Foods, Zoro, Fello,etc. Ashneer Grover announced his resignation from the BharatPe on 28 February 2022. He is currently the co-founder of Third Unicorn, Crickpe. The company provides a cricket fantasy gaming platform. The company allows players to participate in public, private, and “mega contests” to earn cash prizes.
Aman Gupta
Name
Aman Gupta
Company
boAt
Net Worth
$87 million (Rs 720 crore)
Aman Gupta – Shark Tank India Judges
Aman Gupta is the co-founder and CMO of India’s biggest wearable brand boAt. The company has taken not only the country but the whole world by storm with its affordable and good-quality audio ear-wear. The net worth of the shark Aman Gupta is approximately $87 million.
boAt has captured the Indian electronic gadgets market brilliantly. He co-founded boAt in the year 2016 and has transformed the company into one of the biggest audio brands since then. He has invested in various startups on the show likeNuutjob, Altor, Revamp Moto, Ariro,etc. Aman Gupta received more than INR 9 lakh per episode in season 2.
Namita Thapar is a businesswoman who is leading the pharmaceutical industry with Emcure Pharmaceuticals. It is a multinational pharma company founded in the year 1983 and Thapar is currently the CEO of the company. She has invested in various startups on the show likeBrainwired, Sunfox Technologies, Kabaddi Adda, Sneakare, etc. Namita Thapar charged approximatelyINR 8 lakh per episode.
Peyush Bansal made his name by launching India’s biggest eyewear retail chain Lenskart. It was founded in the year 2010 and has been increasing the bar simultaneously. The current value of the company is $5.6 billion. The eyewear industry in India has revolutionized because of Lenskart and has been turning heads worldwide. He has invested in various startups on the show likeLoka, Hair Originals, Isak Fragrances, etc. Peyush Bansal got INR 7 lakh per episode. The net worth of Peyush Bansal stands at $72 million (approx).
Azhar Iqubal is the co-founder and Chairman of the well-known news aggregation app, Inshorts. He is a dropout from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). With Deepit Purkayastha and Anunay Arunav, he founded Inshorts as a Facebook page, which was introduced in 2013. The Inshorts app is currently worth around $550 million. Azhar was a new addition to Shark Tank India season 3 and will continue as a shark in season 4.
Vineeta Singh is an entrepreneur who proves that following your dreams with courage is what you need. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of Sugar Cosmetics, one of the largest Indian brands of cosmetics that is growing at an intense speed. She is an Alumni of IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad, the amazing part is she rejected a INR 1 crore job offer to follow her dream of running her own company.
Sugar was founded in the year 2012 and is a cruelty-free makeup brand that has captured the heart of the Indian audience. The current value of Sugar Cosmetics is $700 million (approx). She has invested in various startups on the show like Booz, Humpy Farms, Wakao Foods, etc. Vineeta Singh charged INR 5 lakh per episode.
Anupam Mittal is another popular shark in the business reality show. He is the founder and CEO of Shaadi.com and Makaan.com and is said to be one of the top angel investors in the country. The net worth of Anupam Mittal stands at $21.81 million. After graduating from Boston College, Mittal founded Shaadi.com in the year 1997 as Sagaai.com and changed its name in 2001. The total number of users of Shaadi.com in 2023 is estimated to be 35 million.
He has also invested in startups like OLA. In Shark Tank, he has invested in various startups on the show likeLysto, VivaLyf, Bamboo India, Tweek Labs, etc.Anupam Mittal received more than INR 7 Lakh per episode.
Ghazal Alagh founded one of the most popular personal products brands, Mamaearth, in the year 2016. The brand specializes in chemical-free baby-care products, and it now manufactures personal products for everyone. Mamaearth entered the Unicorn Club in the year 2022. The company launched its IPO on November 7, 2023. Ghazal Alagh got INR 8 lakh per episode. However, she discontinued the show after Shark Tank India season 1.
Radhika Gupta is a successful entrepreneur and investor. She was a new addition to the Shark Tank India season 3 judging panel. She has been the Managing Director and CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund since 2017, and she has helped the company expand to become one of India’s top mutual fund houses. Under Gupta’s leadership, Edelweiss Mutual Fund has grown into a leading player in the Indian mutual fund industry. The company has launched a number of innovative products and services and has consistently outperformed the benchmark indices. The net worth of Radhika Gupta is Rs 41 Crores.
Edelweiss Mutual Fund has total assets under management (AUM) of Rs 1,64,554 crores. It manages 399 schemes, including 26 Equity schemes, 16 Debt schemes, 4 Hybrid schemes, and 2 Money Market schemes.
Varun Dua is an Indian entrepreneur and the founder of Acko, an insurance technology (insurtech) startup that provides digital insurance solutions for individuals and businesses. He is recognized as a pioneer in the Indian insurtech space and has been credited with transforming the insurance industry through innovative technology and customer-centric approaches. The valuation of Acko Insurance is $1.4 billion.
Varun Dua was introduced as a new judge to the Shark Tank India season 3 panel. Dua’s entrepreneurial acumen and his commitment to innovation have earned him recognition as a leading figure in the Indian startup ecosystem. He has been featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 India list and has received numerous awards for his contributions to the insurance industry.
Kunal Bahl is an Indian entrepreneur known for co-founding Snapdeal, a leading e-commerce platform, and Titan Capital, a prominent venture capital firm. Bahl has significantly impacted the Indian startup ecosystem by investing in companies like Ola and Mamaearth. He also holds key positions in organizations such as NASSCOM and the National Startup Advisory Council, showcasing his influence in India’s business landscape. Kunal Bahl is the newest shark on Shark Tank India season 4.
Kunal has received various prestigious awards including Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Startup), Fortune Global 40 under 40, and The Economic Times Entrepreneur of the Year, among others.
Viraj Bahl is the Founder and Managing Director of Veeba (VRB Consumer Products Pvt. Ltd.), a leading consumer food brand. He has joined the cast of Shark Tank India Season 4. Viraj is known for his deep understanding of the food industry. He is excited to share his knowledge and mentor entrepreneurs with great, scalable ideas.
His experience in building a successful business will help guide those looking for investments and advice. Viraj has studied Industrial Marine Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic.
Mohit Yadav is the Co-Founder of Minimalist, a popular skincare and haircare brand known for its clean, transparent, and science-backed formulations. He has joined the cast of Shark Tank India Season 5. Mohit is recognised for his deep understanding of the beauty and consumer products industry and his commitment to honest, research-based innovation.
His entrepreneurial journey spans ventures like Freewill and Oto.com, and senior roles at CarDekho, Deloitte, and Credit Suisse. Mohit is a qualified Chartered Accountant, holding an ACA in Finance and Accounts from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, where he was a gold medalist.
His experience in scaling successful businesses will help him guide and mentor budding entrepreneurs seeking both investment and strategic insight.
Srikanth Bolla
Name
Srikanth Bolla
Company
Bollant Industries
Net Worth
–
Srikanth Bolla – Shark Tank India Judges
Srikanth Bolla is the Founder and Chairman of Bollant Industries, a company based in Hyderabad. It makes eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging products. He has joined the cast of Shark Tank India Season 4. Srikanth is known for supporting people with disabilities and building a business that helps the environment.
Born blind, Srikanth faced many challenges but stayed determined. He studied Management Science at the Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and was the first visually impaired student in that course.
Srikanth is excited and all set to guide new founders and support business ideas that are both smart and socially responsible.
Vikas D Nahar is an Indian businessman who has made a name for himself in the healthy food industry. He is the founder of Happilo International, a company that specializes in offering high-quality dried fruits, nuts, seeds, dates, hampers, and more. Despite facing numerous rejections, Vikas persevered and successfully raised funds for Happilo, which has now become a well-known health food brand.
Nahar was the guest shark for the grand finale of Shark Tank India Season 2. A special “digital-only” episode on SonyLiv called “Gateway to Shark Tank India 2” aired, wherein aspiring business owners got the chance to interact with Vikas and other sharks and pitch their ideas to them.
Conclusion
Shark Tank created a huge buzz in the country and has become a very popular business reality show in India. Various entrepreneurs from different parts of the country came here to showcase their innovative business plans in front of the sharks in the hope of getting investments for their companies. The Shark Tank India judges provided investments to their preferred business ideas and gave them a chance to flourish with their ideas. Season three of this show is anticipated to be bigger, with quality judges and creative business ideas.
FAQs
Who is the richest shark in Shark Tank India?
The richest sharks on Shark Tank India include Ritesh Agarwal, Ronnie Screwvala, Amit Jain, Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, and more.
Who were the newly added Sharks in Shark Tank India Season 3?
Ritesh Agarwal (Founder of OYO Rooms), Deepinder Goyal (Co-founder of Zomato), Azhar Iqubal (Co-founder of Inshorts), Radhika Gupta (CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund), Varun Dua (Founder of Acko), and Ronnie Screwvala (Co-founder of UpGrad) were the newly added sharks.
How much do Shark Tank India judges earn per episode?
The sharks earn between INR 5-10 lakhs per episode, with varying rates depending on their profile and involvement.
Will Deepinder Goyal return to Shark Tank India season 4?
Deepinder Goyal is not part of Shark Tank India season 4. While rumours suggested his exit was due to Swiggy’s sponsorship, the show’s makers clarified that his absence was due to scheduling conflicts, and they would be happy to have him on future seasons.
Is there a Billionaire in Shark Tank India?
Deepinder Goyal, the founder of Zomato, has a net worth of $1.7 billion, and Ronnie Screwvala, with a net worth of $1.53 billion, has been among the billionaires featured on Shark Tank India in previous seasons.
What is Aman Gupta net worth?
The net worth of Aman Gupta is $93 million (INR 720 Crores).
What is Anupam Mittal net worth?
The net worth of Anupam Mittal is $21.8 million (INR 185 Crores).
Who is the newest shark in Shark Tank India season 4?
Kunal Bahl, co-founder of Snapdeal and Titan Capital, and Viraj Bahl, Founder and Managing Director of Veeba, have joined the panel of judges on Shark Tank India Season 4. In March 2025, Srikanth Bolla, Founder and Chairman of Bollant Industries, also joined the judges’ panel.
Sarika Anand
Muskaan Kapoor
